Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-09-30
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
SENA ron MORRfLDS nook
On seIf.Con.eion.ne.. Of Noted per.on..

,SEN.A T'OR MORRTLL'S nook
On seIf.COnsciO usness of Noted Persons.
Editor Of The Phpnir; As n native of
the Green Mountain state ! take lively in
forest in all things that contribute to her
moral intellectual and physical welfare. l
have been induced to write you by reading
a volume published recently by Ticknor &
Co. of Boston, entitled "Self- Consciousness
of Noted Persons, compiled in Leisure Hours
by Justin S. Morrill, The distinguished
senator has been a great reader during his
whole mature life, my acquaintance with
him dating back 40 years when the writer
began his journalistic career and when Mr..
Morrill, was "A country merchant in the small
town Of Stralford Orange county, Yer
mont. He was an occasional contributor
to the Vermont Journal when under my
and quiet supporter of its
Few men as long in public life
as Mr. Morrill, has been have exhibited less
self consciousness or less vanity than the
of this interesting volume. The
100 or more persons, famous in art, htera-
ture, craftsmanship, oratory or in war, from
whom Mr.. Morrill, quotes for the purpose of
showing in what degree they exhibited self
or vanity, are well known TO
all readers Of history, ancient and modern.
In the preface to the volume the author
says: "A second edition Of this mono
graph has been suggested 10y the fact that
in the distribution of the first orprivate cd
ition some valued or personal friends were
neglected and demand for copies, i'm
possible for the printer to supply, was also
made by many who hal no desire to be
served gratuitously. 1t may be true
that in the exposures here occasionally made
IT the illustrious dead something Of the re
proach will have been incurred which Ham
let cast upon the jolly grave digger Has
this fellow no feeling of his business He
sings at grave making" 1t will be seen,
however, that no graves have been made
or ought set down in malice but may we
not smile where only self made records are
upturned and merely brought to light =
In the beginning of the introduction the
author remarks Among mankind there
are none so high and none so low as to be
utterly insensihle to fame or TO the appro-
baton Of their fellow men. Indeed, all
men rather court both not always as their
due for brain work, but as a just reward
for some personal merit. The passion with
some becomes conspicuous, possibly often
sive; while with others it is so veiled with
modesty or with art as to remain a secret
even to nearest friends. Few men
ever excel all the world in more than one
faculty. \ would-be universal genius, like
"A boy ON stills, is soon humbled in the dust
In IA brief article of but little more than
three pages by way of concluding the vol
umc. Mr. Morrill, says: Though obtrusive
vanity or self glorification is ever very mucl
disliked, especially by those afflicted witt
the same iniirmity, it is very closely allied
to the virtues. for the reason that men
know praise or fame which vain men $,
dcvoutly seek, will be more speedily and
abundantly acquired through noble aud vir
tuous actions than in any other way. 4
vain or proud man is often kept on IA higl
plane, above doing "A mean thing, because
it elevates and preserves his reputation
among those whose opinion he most values
The whole doctrine of Chris
tianity as well as Of good breeding, teache
humility For he that is least among yol
all, the same shall be great And though
it may be a noble incentive TO virtue t,
hope for human applause after lifc's fitfu
fever is over, yet so long as you remain oI
enrth, if you really believe there is a big
ger fool in the world than yourself, yol
better not 20 and tell him Of it. If you do
you viii find he thinks just the same of you.
Perhaps have quoted enough from tn
| authors words to give an idea of his owl
thoughts about self-consciousness, or self
conceit The 40 noted persons quote,
from to indicate the degree OF their self
consciousness or self-conceit, represent al
ages, nations and professions. In some in
stances the evidence is not very marked o
striking in others it is glaringly promi
nent, not 10 say ridiculous. Even the apos
ties Of Jesus are not spared, and st. Paul
the ahlest and noblest Of them all, is marke,
as IA conspicuous example, where he speak
Of his abundant labors and sutferings bu
the compiler apparently justiies his utter
ance, for the great apostle counts himsel
as nothing" Few Americans now livinI
| are mentioned Among these | find Jane
Russell Lowell and Z, 7. Barnum, VIII
stand almost alone among the mentione
living Americans, although John q. Sax
and Richard Grant White are among tn
recent dead Among the distinguishe
Americans not now living, find the name
of John and John Quincy Adams, Ruff
| Choate, Thomas jefferson and Thomas II
| Benton The last named of these | thin
might furnish abundant material OF tn
distinguished men of Europe many yer
quaint manifestations of self-conceit ar
| given.
could give you quotations from the say
| ings Of noted persons, but fear | should b
tempted 10 occupy too much of your space
If you have not already noticed and recon
mended the volume TO your readers, woul
here say that the purchaser could hardl
invest the small sum required without fine
ing himself well paid for the outlay. 1t
really IA readable and instructive book.
Perhaps | may as well give Mr. Morrill,
brief account of Josh Billings, whose RET
name was Henry w. Shaw, and who ha
died since Mr. Morrill's book appeared i
print. 1t may answer as ''spice" to til
above notice: Josh Billings didn't kno'
he was "A genius until past the meridian q
life, and then would not have found it OF
if he had not seen the writings of Artemr
Ward. At 10 years of age the pay for h
first literary work was only Sl,5O.
spelling wrong he was very successful, an
his reason for using phonetic language WI
set forth as follows
a man has as much rite tew spell
word as it is pronounced as he has 10 pr
nounce it the way it amt spelt.
Noah Webster was a good speller;
had better spells than Billings.
"Many of his droll sentences contain bot
philosophy and wit says Mr.. Morril
Without much research have found ii
following:
"a big genius is generally a phool
knows how tew do one or two things
much, he aint fit for anything else. He
like grahound-good for running fas
that IL all.
Men of genius are like eagles-tl
live ON what they kill 4; while men of talel
are like crows-they live on what has bee
killed for them
Lies are like illegitimate children, Ii
BILE to call a man father when he least e
peckts it. ~ 7. II.
The October LipPincOIt.
The complete novel in Lippincotts ma
azine for October is "Apple Seed and Bri